Coliseo of Havana

El Coliseo of Havana
El Coliseo o Teatro Principal de La Habana.jpg
General information
TypeTheatre
Town or cityHavana
CountryCuba
Coordinates23°08′02″N 82°20′52″W / 23.1338499°N 82.3477622°W / 23.1338499; -82.3477622Coordinates: 23°08′02″N 82°20′52″W / 23.1338499°N 82.3477622°W / 23.1338499; -82.3477622
Opened1775
Technical details
Structural systemLoad bearing
MaterialMasonry, wood
GroundsLa Alameda de Paula, Havana
Design and construction
ArchitectAntonio Fernández de Trebejos y Zaldívar
Known forFirst Havana theatre

The Coliseum was the first building erected in Havana to provide theatrical performances, it opened its doors on January 20, 1775. It was located in front of the Alameda de Paula between Calles Acosta, Oficios, and Luz, in Old Havana.

History

Built between 1773 and 1775, the initiative for the creation of the theater came from the Marquis de la Torre, who managed to gather on July 2, 1773, the most important merchants and the main personalities of the city with the aim of raising funds for the construction of the building. Shortly after, work began on the masonry and wood building, directed by the Havana architect Antonio Fernández de Trebejos y Zaldívar; in the year 1775, it was announced that on the 20th of that current month, the performance of comedies would begin in the new Coliseum.

Architecture

Coliseo of Havana, architectural drawing, building plans
Partial 1853 Havana map_Coliseo of Havana

I the same year of the opening, an opera was presented for the first time in Havana, Didone abbandonata, a work that featured a libretto by Pietro Metastasio.

With a fragile structure, easily affected by the force of hurricanes, between repairs and renovations, the Coliseum maintained an active theatrical program that included music. Usually, there was comedy on Sunday, with a program made up of both Spanish and foreign companies, as well as Cuban actors and musicians. It was a space whose ventilation system depended on the breeze that came from the sea. At the door of the Theater, a soldier ordered the access of cars, buggies, and volantas so that the stop to drop off or pick up passengers was made on the Alameda side, always returning through Calle de Los Oficios.

The building had 4 stories of box seating, it contained seating on the ground floor, a stage, and services.

In 1788 the Coliseum was in poor condition and, by order of the City Council, it was closed for the first time. A repair was carried out on it and, later, in 1803, it reopened its doors with the name of El Principal. About this, it is said that it was superior in terms of luxuries and conditions to the theaters of the United States. An intense theatrical life developed until, in 1846, it was devastated by a cyclone. However, there was a general repair project in 1847. In an 1853 map of Havana, the 'Teatro Principal' is shown as "destruido."

See also


This page was last updated at 2022-05-13 12:28 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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